Shortness Of Breath And Tiredness
You should be worried if you have been feeling tired, exhausted, or breathless, for longer durations of time. It could surely spell trouble for you if you have been experiencing these symptoms for over six months now, especially when there are no medical reasons for them to occur. A few medical tests could ascertain the underlying cause.
It may also come from ingesting toxins or after Hepatitis or Jaundice and can leave you hollowed out from within. Whatever be the underlying causes, we recommend going for the requisite pulmonary function tests to determine if your total lung capacity has reduced, and if so, what corrective measures can you take to set it right faster.
Note: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as an ailment is easy to detect but takes time to go away, and may signify some serious health conditions related to the liver and heart. The sooner you get it diagnosed, the better it is.
What Is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome is persistent and crippling fatigue lasting 6 months or longer. People living with ME/CFS often experience other symptoms, like unrefreshing sleep and muscle aches. The condition is also sometimes called chronic fatigue syndrome.
Doctors do not know what causes ME/CFS, and there is no cure. You may be able to manage symptoms with cognitive-behavioral therapy, exercise, and medications, like antidepressants and sleep aids. The goal of treatment is to make symptoms as manageable as possible to increase your quality of life.
Should I See A Rheumatologist For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
If you go to see your GP and they suspect that you have CFS, they will usually refer you to see a specialist, such as a neurologist or a rheumatologist, to check for other health conditions that may be a cause for your symptoms.
A specialist rheumatologist such as myself can run a series of tests to help find the cause. You may have other health conditions and still have chronic fatigue syndrome.
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Stress Anxiety And Mental Health
People with ME/CFS are more likely than the general population to have mood disorders, including anxiety and depression.
Researchers are still investigating whether there is a biological mechanism at play, or whether the day-to-day challenges of living with ME/CFS and being unable to do normal activities lead to the increased risk for depression.
Treatment for mental health conditions related to ME/CFS includes mindfulness and relaxation therapies, as well as medication to treat depression or anxiety.
The Other Care Providers
There are other people that might be able to help you other care providers like chiropractors, physical therapists and even massage therapists. There are good chances that you would be going to one of them and you could ask them if they could recommend a good doctor that will help in your treatment of CFS.
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Children And Teens With Me/cfs
As with adults, the degree to which a child or teens life is impacted by the disease depends on a number of things, including disease severity. If the child is mildly affected, he or she might benefit from a slightly modified school schedule and a reduction in social activity as long as parents and guardians recognize the need to avoid triggering PEM and worsening symptoms. If the child is moderately ill, the school and parent/guardian will need to work together to establish a substantially modified plan of education which might include private tutoring, remote learning, or some type of home-schooling. Children who fall into the moderate-to-severe range are generally unable to attend school at all and need help with even the most basic personal care.
It is important for family members and caregivers to know enough about the disease to understand what is happening and help guide the childs activities in order to prevent worsening of symptoms. For more information about navigating pediatric ME/CFS and working with your childs school, click here.
What Can I Do To Cope With Me/cfs
Talking about your feelings with a friend or family member can help. Sometimes it also helps to talk with people who are going through the same thing. Consider joining an ME/CFS support group. See the âME/CFS Organizationsâ section at the end of this fact sheet for a list of organizations that offer additional information on ME/CFS and can help you find ME/CFS support groups.
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Find Ways To Relax And Reset Your Mind
For some people, taking 20 minutes during the afternoon to meditate can be enough to recharge. Maybe yoga or deep breathing is your thing. Whatever you do, find time to relax and reset your mind.
Chronic fatigue can impair your health and happiness, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. A chiropractor may help address any interference in your spine that may contribute to fatigue, as well as help manage the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. While it may take some time, and some behavior changes, you can get your energy back and reclaim your health and wellbeing.
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General Exercise Tips For People With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Be guided by your doctor or specialist, but general suggestions include:
- Experiment to find the type of exercise that works best for you. Choose from a range of gentle activities such as stretching, yoga, tai chi, walking and light weight training.
- Keep an activity diary so you have a long-term picture of your performance levels and factors that might impact on your symptoms.
- Stop the physical activity well before you feel any symptom flare. Pacing yourself is very important.
- Remember that the amount of exercise you can do will change from one day to the next.
- Listen to your body if you dont feel up to exercising on a particular day, dont.
- Find out as much as you can about your ME/CFS. Make sure you consult with health professionals who fully understand ME/CFS as a real biomedical condition.
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Deterrence And Patient Education
Living with chronic fatigue syndrome can be stressful, as the symptoms can affect the quality of life. Most people are generally healthy and active before developing CFS, making it particularly distressing. The most crucial factor for patients to successfully cope with CFS is establishing a strong relationship with an experienced health care provider. Having a provider that patients can trust, who listens to them and understands that their symptoms are real, can be validating and helpful. While it is discouraging to know that there is no quick cure for CFS, an experienced provider can work with the patient to find ways to manage their symptoms and maximize their quality of life.
When To See A Doctor
Fatigue can be a symptom of many illnesses, such as infections or psychological disorders. In general, see your doctor if you have persistent or excessive fatigue.
We have a Chronic Fatigue Specialist available to help you with your condition. Please set an appointment to see one of our professionals.
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What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a complex illness marked by extreme or debilitating fatigue that is not improved by rest. This condition includes other symptoms that may come and go. Chronic fatigue syndrome can affect your ability to think clearly, sleep or perform ordinary activities without exhaustion.
The cause of chronic fatigue syndrome is unknown. Some experts think two or more contributing risk factors might work together to cause it. This illness is most common in white women between 40 and 60 years old. However, it may be underdiagnosed in other groups of people.
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Who Diagnosis Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Depleted uranium
Depleted uranium was widely used in tank kinetic energy penetrator and autocannonrounds for the first time ever during the Gulf War and has been suggested as a possible cause of Gulf War syndrome. A 2008 review by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found no association between DU exposure and multisymptom illness, concluding that exposure to DU munitions is not likely a primary cause of Gulf War illness. However, there are suggestions that long-term exposure to high doses of DU may cause other health problems unrelated to GWI.
More recent medical literature reviews disagree, stating for example that, the number of Gulf War veterans who developed the Gulf War syndrome following exposure to high quantities of DU has risen to about one-third of the 800,000 U.S. forces deployed, with 25,000 of those having had a premature death. Since 2011, US combat veterans may claim disability compensation for health problems related to exposure to depleted uranium. The Veterans Administration decides these claims on a case-by-case basis.
A team at the University of Portsmouth led by Professor Randall Parrish tested urine samples of 154 US veterans in 2021, reporting that no soldiers with the syndrome were exposed to significant amounts of depleted uranium and that it is not and never was in the bodies of those who are ill at sufficient quantities to cause disease.
Pyridostigmine bromide nerve gas antidote
Organophosphates
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How Does Me/cfs Affect People
ME/CFS affects different people in different ways, some more severely than others. There are four levels of severity of ME/CFS, which give an indication of the level of disability ME/CFS can create:
- mild: 50% reduction in pre-illness activity
- moderate: mostly housebound
- severe: mostly bedridden
- very severe: totally bedridden and need help with basic activities including nutrition and hydration.
The severity of ME/CFS can vary over time. A person living with ME/CFS could be at one level of severity now, then their disease could either improve or deteriorate over time. For some patients, their disease can worsen significantly with no known cause. Other patients have a fluctuating illness where they have better and worse periods, which last for months or years. It is unclear why this happens.
For most people, ME/CFS is a lifelong disease. Full recovery is rare and estimated at less than 10%. For some people with ME/CFS, as time passes and their disease improves, they will find they can do more, but it is a slow and gradual process. However, this is not the case for everyone. Some people find their disease worsens over time, others may remain somewhat stable. With support and pacing, people can often improve their quality of life.
Your Next Steps Towards A Proper Diagnosis
If your diagnosis came before 2015, I encourage you to book a follow-up appointment with your physician. Go through the new diagnostic procedures together. Make note of whether you still fit the diagnostic criteria.
If you no longer fit the diagnostic picture, be assertive. Ask your doctor to perform more testing that can help you identify the root cause of your fatigue. If your lab tests still come back within normal ranges, its time to find a knowledgeable functional medicine practitioner.
Now, I want to hear from you!
Did the change in diagnostic criteria affect your diagnosis?
Do you really have CFS?
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Treatment Plans For Me/cfs
There’s no single way of managing ME/CFS that works for everyone, but there are a number of treatment options.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence says you should be offered a treatment plan tailored to your symptoms.
Your doctor should discuss all of the options with you, and explain the benefits and risks of any treatment.
They should work with you to develop a treatment plan that suits you and takes into account your circumstances and preferences.
You may need advice about making lifestyle changes, specialist treatments, or a combination of both.
If your symptoms are severe, your doctor should ask a specialist for advice.
Your treatment plan should be reviewed regularly.
How Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treated
Treatment is determined by your healthcare provider and based on:
- Your overall health and medical history
- Extent of the condition
- Your tolerance for specific medicines, procedures, or therapies
- Expectations for the course of the condition
- Your opinion or preference
- Medicine, including corticosteroids, antidepressants, and others
- Light-intensity aerobic exercise
- Dietary supplements and herbal preparations
- Psychotherapy and supportive counseling
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How Is Me/cfs Treated
Right now, there is no cure or FDA-approved treatments for ME/CFS. But, there are things you and your doctor can do to help ease your symptoms. Because the symptoms of ME/CFS vary from person to person, the management plan you discuss with your doctor may look very different from the plan of another person with ME/CFS.
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Home Remedies And Lifestyle
Making lifestyle changes may greatly impact how you feel, and the specific changes you need can depend on the severity of your illness and whether certain activities exacerbate your symptoms. While some people may see the tremendous benefit just from making changes to the way they eat, for example, others may find that more sweeping changessuch as a job changemay be necessary.
3. Acupuncture.
4. What Is The Most Common Cause Of Chronic Fatigue?
The most common cause of chronic fatigue is psychological stress something that affects all of us if you think about it. So, if you have been under a lot of stress recently, then you need to check whether you are always exhausted and whether this has anything to do with chronic fatigue syndrome or not!
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How Is Cfs Treated
Theres currently no specific cure for CFS.
Each person has different symptoms and therefore may require different types of treatment to manage the disorder and relieve their symptoms.
Work with your team of healthcare providers to create the best treatment plan for you. They can go over the possible benefits and side effects of the therapies with you.
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Identify Treatments Youve Tried
In addition to tracking the symptoms you have experienced, keep a list of treatments you have tried. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides a medications and supplements list you can use to track your medications, their dosage, how well they help, and if you experienced side effects. Write a separate list of other treatments you have tried beyond medications and supplements, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, exercise, acupuncture, or meditation.
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How Do Doctors Treat Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Doctors treat your symptoms, including pain, depression, and not being able to sleep. They also try:
-
Therapy to help you focus on positive thoughts and getting better
-
A graded exercise program, in which you slowly add activities to your daily routine, such as walking, swimming, cycling, or jogging
Usually the symptoms get better over time, but it may take years or they may not go away completely.
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Guidelines For Diagnosing Me/cfs
Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence say doctors should consider diagnosing ME/CFS if a patient has extreme tiredness that cannot be explained by other causes and the tiredness:
- started recently, has lasted a long time, or keeps coming back
- means you cannot do the things you used to do
- gets worse after activity or gentle exercise, such as a short walk
You must also have some of these symptoms:
- problems sleeping, such as insomnia
- muscle or joint pain
- fast or irregular heartbeats
- doing exercise or concentrating makes your symptoms worse
The GP should consult a specialist if theyre unsure about the diagnosis or if you have severe symptoms.
If a child or young person under 18 has symptoms of possible ME/CFS, they may be referred to a paediatrician.
As the symptoms of ME/CFS are similar to those of many common illnesses that usually get better on their own, a diagnosis of ME/CFS may be considered if you do not get better as quickly as expected.
The diagnosis should be confirmed by a doctor after other conditions have been ruled out, and if your symptoms have lasted at least 3 months.
Page last reviewed: 29 October 2021 Next review due: 29 October 2024
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Prevalence And Clinical Features
It is difficult to establish the prevalence of CFS, since it depends on the diagnostic criteria used and the study population. Initial research suggested a prevalence between 0.002% and 0.04%. . However, latest epidemiological studies in the USA and in the United Kingdom show prevalence rates ranging from 0.007% to 2.5% of the general population. These rates increase up to 0.5-2.5% when the population assessed includes individuals seen in primary care facilities instead of the global population. In the United Kingdom, according the Oxford criteria , the prevalence in the global population has been estimated in 0.6%. In Japan the prevalence has been found to be 1.5% in the general population. Thus, the prevalence in the general population appears to be much higher than previously indicated. Even with strict criteria for CFS, it is estimated that approximately 1% of the adult population experiences this condition. Interestingly, a large part of this group remains unrecognized by the general practitioner. A striking similarity in lifestyle pattern between SF, CF and CFS calls for further research.
CFS mainly affects young adults from 20 to 40 years, although the symptoms also exist in childhood, adolescence and in the elderly . It has a 2-3 times higher prevalence in women than in men. No evidence exists showing that any socio-economic group is more affected than others .
Who Can Diagnose Cfs
It is usual for people with symptoms of CFS to seek help from their GP. In many cases, your GP will refer you to a specialist to eliminate other causes if they are unsure about the diagnosis. Specialists such as rheumatologists can test to see if there are any other illness-causing your symptoms because the symptoms of CFS can be similar to many other illnesses. If your symptoms have been lingering for longer than expected, a rheumatologist can rule out other health conditions and will diagnose CFS.
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